Ramadan: Description and Analysis

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Ramadan: Description and Analysis
I. Description
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. During the entirety of the month, it is stipulated for devout Muslims that they maintain a complete fast (sawm) during the daylight hours, from dawn until after sunset. Sawm is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, the five fundamental observances that are traditionally considered a defining characteristic of the faith, although they are not necessarily the entirety of Islam. The five pillars include bearing witness to the faith (shahadah), the five daily prayers (salah), charity and alms giving (zakah), making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during one's lifetime (hajj), and Ramadan fasting.
The Qu'ran (Koran) addresses the Ramadan fast...